Hey there! I’m just starting a project that’s close to my heart as a child of the 60s and a Graphic Designer. It involves a big, flashy 1967 American Motors car, the Marlin. This two-door fastback car produced by American Motors Corporation (AMC) from 1965 to 1967 is not your everyday car. The automakers really wanted to make something special, something that stood out. That’s how the 1967 American Motors Marlin was born. It came equipped with a powerful 343 cubic inch V8 engine to boot, which was a statement in itself. It was initially launched as the Rambler Marlin in 1965, but in 1966 and 1967 it was rebranded as the AMC Marlin.
1967 was the last year of production for the Marlin and is considered by many to be the most desirable due to its culmination of Marlin styling and beautiful proportions.
Marlin Magic: This navy t-shirt brings the sleek design of the 1967 AMC Marlin to life, set against the iconic, concrete expanse of New Brighton Pier under a clear blue sky.
Welcome to a journey where the past meets the future, where the classic lines of a 1928 Essex Super Six four-door car, whose chief selling point was “affordable luxury,” intermingle with the art of modern graphic design. I recently had the incredible opportunity to photograph this rare American vintage beauty in the car park of the historic Richmond Workingmen’s Club in Christchurch. Note that the gallery of images from the photoshoot is at the foot of the page.
Capturing the Essence:
The 1928 Essex Super Six was designed to be an affordable luxury car, making it accessible to a wider range of car owners. It was equipped with a powerful 153.1 cubic inch inline-six engine that delivered 55 horsepower, providing ample power for its time.Read More
Don’t say “ooh!”, say “aah!!” for this design is one of the best-looking wetas you’ll see. This print celebrates the recent rediscovery of the Bluff weta, New Zealand’s insect dinosaur that can be found in scree and on rocky bluffs of the Kaikoura ranges, Mt Somers in mid-Canterbury and on both sides of this t-shirt.
This design features a twice life-size pixel painted portrait of the Bluff weta on the front with the option of another print on the back. The Bluff weta was until recently thought to be lost to history, but it turns that it roams free in the scree and rocky bluffs of the Kaikouras and Mt Somers. The grey marle fabric of the shirt is the rocky texture of a mountain bluff for a comfortable fit. The design is also available on a range of colours, short and longsleeve tees for women and kids.
Because the colours of this design are earth toned and the weta is casting a shadow, the best colours for the shirt are on greys and earth-toned hues. The lighter toned backgrounds help create the 3D effect, the illusion the weta is in three dimensions standing on the surface of a t-shirt.
Purchase Options: Shop Locally or Internationally
Shop by ordering here to have it locally printed in Christchurch and DTF heat-pressed right here by the designer, Shaun Waugh, in New Brighton, or shop online at our NZ based and international DTG printing partners. (Use code: “PERFEC” for 5% off your international store purchase.)
Prices for Shirts Printed by the Artist in New Brighton:
Teeshirt: $48 plus shipping
This design is also available on longsleeve tees for men, women and kids
Mens/Unisex longsleeve tee: $58 plus shipping
Shipping is via Courier Post, price starts at $8 for 1 adult shirt, $10 for two or more.
International customers will be charged the actual shipping cost based on the weight and the destination of their order. As a guide a Large Surface Active 185 gsm t-shirt weighs 130–150 grams.
Our wildlife art print of this rare and beautiful native lizard is so animated it looks likes it’s going to scamper right off the shirt! In this case a crew neck, mid-weight (185gsm) women’s t-shirt.
New Zealand is ground zero for geckos, with more native lizards found on these islands from north to south than in any other temperate place in the world, they thrive in forests, dunes, grasslands, rocky alpine areas, even under the odd stack of corrugated iron roofing. The Jewelled gecko is a species found only on the South Island of New Zealand, particularly the southeastern regions of Canterbury and Otago from Banks Peninsula southwards.
This design pairs best with white, kelly green, forest green, and black for maximum contrast.
Level up your black t-shirt with our vivid jewelled gecko print. The intricate details are printed directly onto the fabric, while the black in the print is knocked-out, this allows the colours of the print to pop more against black of the shirt.
Our eye-catching kiwi design features a bold, two-colour roundel illustration on the front showcasing the most famous New Zealand native bird on a crew neck, mid-weight (185gsm) kids’ t-shirt. A playful mini kiwi icon graces the back for a touch of whimsy. This design pairs best with white, pastels, lights, and brights for maximum contrast. Can be customised with the large art printed on the back and the mini kiwi badge on the front left chest at no extra charge.
Shop Across our Stores
Shop for this flightless bird design across our Surface Active stores:
by ordering here to have it locally printed and DTF heat pressed right here in New Brighton.
Price: $30 plus shipping via Courier Post. Shipping starts at $8 (varies by quantity).
International customers will be charged the actual shipping cost based on the weight and the destination of their order.
As a guide a Large Surface Active 185 gsm t-shirt weighs 130–150 grams.
Channel your inner Jacques Cousteau with this t-shirt featuring four playful common dolphins leaping out of the ocean as they pass along the Kaikoura coast. A perfect conversation starter for any nature enthusiast.
Our Common Dolphins Leaping T-Shirt—Kaikoura Wildlife Art Printed by the Artist
Having had the magical experience of a free-range childhood in Titahi Bay, encountering pods of common dolphins in Kaikoura during our summer holidays at Goose Bay and when snorkelling for Paua with friends near Barneys Rock, enjoying the spectacle of seeing them traveling in large groups parallel to SH1 near Oaro, playfully leaping out of the water, and, as a child being enchanted by their surfing and breaching alongside boats in the waters of the Hauraki Gulf I was seeking a way to express my sense of how dolphins symbolise how wonderful and beautiful New Zealand is.
Prices For Shirts Printed in New Brighton:
Order here to have your dolphins leaping shirt locally printed in Christchurch and DTF heat-pressed right here by the designer, Shaun Waugh, in New Brighton, or shop online at our NZ based and international DTG printing partners. (Use code: “PERFEC” for 5% off your international store purchase.) You can visit Shaun at the Surface Active stall Saturdays 10:00–2:00 at New Brighton Seaside Market, or shop at one of our two retail outlets in New Brighton Mall, Brighton Gallery and The Creatives Edit.
Show off your love for these tuxedoed Antarctic cuties with this fun t-shirt. Featuring a colony of Adelie penguins in a comical waddle on the front, and their speedy escape from a leopard seal that suddenly hauled up on the edge of the sea ice on in front of them on the back, this shirt is sure to turn heads.
Because the colours of snow and ice is white and the penguins are in Antarctica waddling across that surface, the only colour for the shirt is white, with the two colour black and blue print creating a 3D effect. Clever shading with cool sky blue and perspective tricks the viewer into thinking that the Adelie penguin group is really waddling towards you on the front and dashing away on the back. The Adelie penguin design is also available on white longsleeve tees.
Prices For Shirts Printed by the Artist in New Brighton:
By ordering here to have it locally printed in Christchurch and DTF heat-pressed right here by the designer, Shaun Waugh, in New Brighton, or shop online at our NZ based and international DTG printing partners. (Use code: “PERFEC” for 5% off your international store purchase.)
This eye-catching Surface Active t-shirt features four three dimensional pixel-painted Bluff weta scattered around the garment. A unique way to show your love for these giant New Zealand insect dinosaurs. Shop now by using the order form here, for your shirt to be printed in New Brighton by the graphic designer.
Calling all weta enthusiasts! This fun t-shirt showcases four three-dimensional pixel painted depictions of the mighty Bluff weta—Deinacrida elegans. Available in a variety of sizes and colours, this is the perfect way to celebrate New Zealand’s unique wildlife.Read More
Don’t say “ooh!”, say “aah!!” for this is one of the best-looking wetas you’ll see. The recently rediscovered Bluff weta can be found in scree and on rocky bluffs at Kaikoura, Mt Somers in mid-Canterbury and all over this artful t-shirt. These ancient insects endemic the Kaikoura ranges and Mt Somers, are insect dinosaurs that you can wear with pride on this unique pixel painted weta t-shirt.
The all-over design features four lively life-size pixel painted portraits of the Bluff weta, once thought lost to history, that roams free in the scree and rocky bluffs of the Kaikouras and Mt Somers in mid-Canterbury. The reference for the pixel paintings are a pair of lively photographs by renowned New Zealand wildlife photographer, Rod Morris, which inspired the idea of having the weta all-over a rock colour and textured t-shirt. The grey marle fabric of the shirt is the rocky texture of a mountain bluff for a comfortable fit. The design is also available on garments in a range of colours for women and kids.
For the Kiwi who dares to dream big, this Kiwi Space Shuttle tee is a must-have. This black Surface Active tee showcases the beloved Kiwi icon of a classic MkII Zephyr transformed into a NASA spaceship, manned by three Kiwis soaring through space, bound for a drive on the moon.
The clever design incorporates the rocket science of the black fabric of the shirt as deep space for a comfortable fit. The design is also available on garments for women and kids.
This unique two-sided t-shirt design explores the fascinating world of the Tuatara. The front features Shaun Waugh’s original pen-and-ink portrait of an 80 year old Henry, the revered tuatara residing at Invercargill’s Southland museum who is now over 120-years-old. The intricate details capture the reptilian skin texture, while the Southern Cross constellation hints at Henry’s age and connection to the ancient Southern Hemisphere. In the background is a glimpse of Stephens Island, a sanctuary for these “living fossils” extinct on the mainland for over a century.
Optional Back Design: For a complete story, choose to include a complementary map on the back. This map pinpoints Stephens Island and showcases fossil ammonites from Farewell Spit, Tasman Bay, further emphasising the Tuatara’s being a “living fossil” link to New Zealand’s prehistoric past as part of the supercontinent Gondwana, along with Antarctica and Australia, 85 million years ago.
Celebrate New Zealand’s unique wildlife and geological heritage. Get your Tuatara t-shirt today!
You can order your very own New Zealand nature t-shirts from our brand new exhibition at Brighton Gallery, open until January 8th. All works, t-shirts & original prints, are designed & printed in New Brighton. To order contact: www.surfaceactive.digitees.co.nz/contact
Looking for the perfect way to show your love for your favourite native animal? Order your kiwi t-shirt today. T-shirts are available in a variety of colours and styles for adults and kids, making it easy to find the right one for you.
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